Questions from a future SOLDIER preparing for BASIC TRAINING

[RIPSean]

Hi, all. About a year and a half ago, I posted a thread here in the tailgate saying I was considering joining the Marines and asking for knowledge and advice. The response was great and I learned a lot as I pondered joining the military.

Since then, I've had a daughter and I got married. I enlisted in the US Army shortly after my daughters birth as a 68W, or "Combat Medic." I leave for basic training in February. I'll be at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri for about 2 months and then Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio for about 4 months.

Although I'm a bit nervous and uncertain over a lot of things, I am generally looking forward to BT. I know it will be a challenge and I don't have a problem with that. I feel I will get a lot out of this and I'm very excited to start a new career and better provide for my daughter, as well as serve my country and set myself up for a free college education.

I just have a few topics I'd like to hear about from former or active servicemen/women.

1. What is basic like? I've read tons about what to expect, so I know generally how it is structured and what will be going on, but I'd love to hear some personal experiences and stories.

Just how difficult is BT? Is it hell? Is it enjoyable? What did you get out of it? What type of fitness level is the average guy at upon arrival?

2. What should I be doing to prepare? (mainly, physically)

Right now I am 6'2 and just over 200 pounds. I recently quit smoking and don't engage in any other unhealthy behaviors. I've been running a few miles most nights of the week and doing things like pushups, sit ups, stretching, and lifting weights.

What else should I be doing? What exercises will best prepare me?

3. Anything you might know/ any experience you have with Fort Leonard Wood in particular. What's it like?

4. Any personal experience you may have with the 68W MOS.

5. Anything else military related that you'd like to add. I greatly appreciate all responses and would like to thank The Tailgate in advance.

[twa]

Thanks for volunteering:cool:

Sounds like you are preparing well,though you need to cut out caffeine and sodas if have not already.

How hard it is is a interesting question,but going in in shape and prepared is half the battle...running and cardio seem to bother most.

Ft Lost in the Woods will introduce you to the scenic forests if you aren't already familiar with them...it's not like you will have free time to explore;)

From what I understand it is not that tough if you are in shape

My daughter (Navy) enjoyed it,my son in the Marines seemed to have a different opinion and kept muttering about the 7th level of hell:silly:

His friend in the Army talking about Time Out cards in basic really seemed to irritate him.

[endzone_dave]

I went through Army BT back in 1989 so things are probably a little different. I prepared by running every day, doing pushups and situps. All that exercise really paid off. Going into BT being able to comfortably run four miles and do 40 pushups made a lot of it much easier. The guys who came in a out of shape had a rough go of it for the first few weeks.

BT isn't all that bad if you just do what the drill sergeants tell you to. I went through it as a geeky engineering student and didn't have any trouble so that should tell you something. Just pay attention and don't get all upset if things get a little tough. The only people in my platoon who had to drop out were the guys who were way out of shape or who figured out they hated the army.

[WVUforREDSKINS]

I think you'll be fine. My best friend joined and he said running was the worst part. So if you are already in shape you should be OK. Its just a mind**** for the most part.

Thanks for serving and good luck!

[stoshuaj]

my son is just finishing up his Combat Medic training at FSH after going to boot camp at FLW.

get in shape, run your ass off. run steps/hills. as you're doing it, think on these 3 words......Agony/Misery/Heartache (I think, maybe Heartbreak, meh, whatever) you'll know to what I'm referring soon enough.

I went to bc a looooong time ago. I was in pretty good shape and I loved it. Well, maybe not loved it but it wasn't so bad. The smokers, drinkers, and dumbasses, they had a few issues.

Keep your head down and your mouth shut.

[twa]

Keep your head down and your mouth shut.

This is the best advice you can get

Stay below the radar if possible and things go much easier.

[Chump Bailey]

his friend in the Army talking about Time Out cards in basic really seemed to irritate him.

Those cards are IMO asinine. The Army is in the business of training soldiers, not wimps, which is what this sort of crap foments.

[twa]

Those cards are IMO asinine. The Army is in the business of training soldiers, not wimps, which is what this sort of crap foments.

:hysterical: sounds like a cleaner version of my son's opinion.

I'm curious if they really exist or if he was just trying to piss him off

added

Snopes says it is false

http://www.snopes.com/military/stress.asp

[ixcuincle]

Was column in WA POST yesterday about getting acquainted to military life

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/29/AR2009112902652.html

Just a little information there, it's Marines though

[halter91]

I went to BC in 92. Some advise from me, stay in the middle, don't volunteer too much and don't not volunteer. Stay in the middle of the pack. Don't be stupid, they have rules, follow them. If your in shape you will have no problems, I didn't have too many problems. Make sure you can do 40-50 pushups in 2 minutes and 60-70 sit ups. If you've been running you'll be fine. Don't take too many things with you as you wont be able to use them. If you're ****y, the drill sergeants will eat you alive.

[hockeysc23]

nothing to add other than Thank You.

[Gibbsisgod2006]

Thank you for your service man. Basic is 80 percent mental and 20 percent physical. As long as you can get yourself into decent shape before going you should be OK. But you should get ready for the Drill SGT's to be in your face. Basic is broken down in to three phases Red, White, and Blue. If you can survive the first phase referred to as red phase of Basic it will be a breeze and the best experience of your life besides the birth of your child.

[Popeman38]

Thanks for signing up.

As has been stated multiple times, blend in. Don't stand out. Be prepared to change the way you do things. With a new kid, you should have sleep deprivation down, you will get only ~5 hours of sleep per night. The Drill SGTs will provide the direction, you and your fellow trainees will provide the chaos.

It is gonna suck, but if you expect it and can roll with it you will look back on BC as a blast. You will get to do things in the next 4 years you can't really experience anywhere else. Buy the T-Shirts and the photos and the DVDs, as they will help you with the memories.

When do you leave for Lost-in-the-woods? I went from Jan '98 through March '98, and it was COLD. Coldest I had ever experienced in my life (until I got stationed at Drum, talk about cold :doh:).

Bottom line, keep your head down and keep moving forward. It will seem that the finish line is never in site, and then all of a sudden you will be graduating.

[Raub]

I went through Basic in '89, so I don't really have anything to add there. I'm sure it's a different animal now.

I went through the Combat Medic school about 10 years ago. Hardest parts were staying awake in classes and letting some 18 year old trainee dig around in your arm with an IV needle trying to find a vein. The course material was fairly easy, but you'll have to get used to the Army's method of force-feeding you info with a firehose. Fort Sam is ridiculously hot in the summer....stay hydrated.

Hopefully you can get assigned to a hospital or clinic for your first duty station.

[Koolblue13]

Sounds like you're already prepared better than most. I went Navy in 92', so it was a bit of a joke.

Boot is fun.

once it's over.

[sacase]

Welcome to the US Army! Your in for one hell of a ride, let me tell you. You will get out of the Army exactly what you put into it.

I went to basic in '97, so I know a lot of things have changed a friend of mine went in Jan of '09 and Ft. Lost-in-in-the-woods and she didn't have a hard time with it at all. I went to Camp Snoopy (Ft. Jackson, SC) so I can't tell you what to what LW is like.

I will echo what some folks have said, blend in with the pack. I was unfortunate enough to be Platoon Guide for my class and it sucked especially when you had a bunch of hard headed 17 y/o's who didn't want to listen. So here is some advice.

1. blend in.

2. Do exactly what you are told. Don't try to be slick and do stuff your own way, the DS's already know all the tricks, you will get smoked or even worse, get everyone else smoked.

3. PT is easy, very easy....The Everyday road marches are what beat it out of you.

4. Study your smartbook, lots of good info in there.

5. sometimes you will fail at the task given to you. That is the intent, to make you fail. Like you have 2 minutes to go upstairs and change into PT's. When you get back down you are told you have 1 minute to go back and change into uniform. when you come back down you get smoked.

6. Drill Sergeants can't touch you. Its all a game, do you best at whatever you are told to do and when you have done your best, give it some more. its more about being mentally tough and how you react to situations you are given.

7. look out for each other. No man is an island, team is very important.

8. Mess hall duty is great, especially if you are in charge. I did it 5 times in basic. It was hard work at times, but you also got some downtime to chill.

9. Be thankful you are not going in the summer, it cuts down on the amount of idiots you are going to have.

10. LEARN what they teach you. You will be in Iraq and Afghanistan very soon. Learn all the basic soldierieng skills to a high degree of profieceny. They will keep you alive. If you go to an Infantry Battalion as a combat medic, LEARN how to be the best infantryman as well as combat medic that you can be, you will be humping with the grunts.

11. Since you are going to be a combat medic, your goal should be to earn your Expert Field Medic Badge. Its very competative and not a lot of people pass.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expert_Field_Medical_Badge

[John Lydon]

Welcome to the Army my man. I just got out last year and I was a 91W (old designation for medic). I did my basic at LeornardWood and my AIT at Sheppard AFB (that's where they send overflow from Ft. Sam when classes fill up). I think I can help with some of your questions.

1. Basic is a snap. If you do EXACTLY what you're told to do you'll have no problems. The first few nights you'll think you made the biggest mistake of your life but things get better. By the end of it you'll be sad it's over. Just don't take it personal when you get yelled at. Everyone gets yelled at. Basic is pretty physically demanding, but you'll learn that they can only make you do what you can do. In other words, If they want you to do 100 pushups and you can only do 50, no amount of yelling is going to get the other 50 done. On the flipside Drill Sergeants know when you're holding out, so give it your all. Physical conditioning for people varies when they arrive. Some people are ready to run marathons and some look like they spent the last 6 weeks watching a Star Wars marathon. The Army doesn't care how you show up , they only care about what shape your in when you leave. P.S. - You WILL fail your first PT test. Don't get discouraged. They fail you on purpose to motivate you to perform better.

2. You can prepare if you want but I would recommend just enjoying your time with friends and family before you go. Trust me, the Army will get you up to standards, you don't have to worry about being in tip top shape before you go.

3. Leonard Wood is literally in the middle of nowhere. You won't see anything but your barracks, chow hall, and PX. Oh, if you're lucky enough to get the barracks by the water tower like I did, you're going to run around it ALOT! Also Leonard Wood gets cold in the winter, so you don't have to worry about overheating if you're leaving in February.

4. Being a medic is not an easy job. You're kind of like the kicker on a footall team. You're going to get attached to an infantry unit and they'll make fun of your field pack (the little purse thing you keep you're makeup in according to them). But when they need you you're the most important guy there is. It's tough mentally more then physically. You will see a lot and do a lot that's not easy to stomach. In your first week of AIT they used to show a video of gruesome war injuries to make sure you had the stomach for your MOS. Not sure if they still do that or not though. Anyways, I hoped this helped and if you need more info, just PM me and I'll be happy to help.

[RIPSean]

Thanks a lot guys, all input has been interesting and helpful. Keep it coming.

[halter91]

best of luck pal, and make fun of all the bandwagon Cowpukes fans while your there.

[jgornall]

1. Attention to details is the most important thing of basic. Pay close attention to what they tell you and use it all the time. Basic is not difficult unless you let it be. If you show weakness, they'll exploit it until its gone or you're gone. There will be alot of yelling and confusion for the first couple weeks but its just to weed out the weak. Do what they tell you and ONLY what they tell you and you'll be fine. The yelling and stuff will subside as time goes on.

2. Do plenty of push-ups, sit-ups, and run until you can't run anymore, then run some more. Start running early in the morning and getting up early to train your body for it. Run hills if possible.

3., 4., 5. I was at bragg so I don't know much about Ft. Lost-in-the-woods, but the name should tell you something.

The best advice I could give would be to always pay attention, always give 100% and remember that your there to become a soldier. Finally make friends with everyone because they may save your life one day.

[Slateman]

1. What is basic like? I've read tons about what to expect, so I know generally how it is structured and what will be going on, but I'd love to hear some personal experiences and stories.

Just how difficult is BT? Is it hell? Is it enjoyable? What did you get out of it? What type of fitness level is the average guy at upon arrival?

I'm a Marine, so my basic was slightly different, but honestly, basic training is just annoying. A lot of hurry up and wait. A lot of getting up early. Make a nice bed. Get yelled at for other people's mistakes. Ect. Its annoying. Just endure.

2. What should I be doing to prepare? (mainly, physically)

Right now I am 6'2 and just over 200 pounds. I recently quit smoking and don't engage in any other unhealthy behaviors. I've been running a few miles most nights of the week and doing things like pushups, sit ups, stretching, and lifting weights.

What else should I be doing? What exercises will best prepare me?

You're fine. Running is the best thing you can do.

Wait till you get out of the basic training pipeline to begin working out.

3. Anything you might know/ any experience you have with Fort Leonard Wood in particular. What's it like?

Fort Lost in the Woods sucks. There is nothing but bars and strip clubs with ugly women out there. Save your money as much as possible.

4. Any personal experience you may have with the 68W MOS.

Our medics, called Corpsmen, come from the Navy. They're pretty good guys. We joke about just telling us to take Motrin and change our socks, but they know their stuff.

5. Anything else military related that you'd like to add. I greatly appreciate all responses and would like to thank The Tailgate in advance.

Yes, be prepared to deal with the lowest levels of intelligence you ever thought possible. People in the military are DUMB. Even officers. I swear, all infantry lieutenants are good for is PT.

[81artmonk]

Thanks for your willingness to serve this country!!

A good friend of mine who was in the marines told me getting through basic and surviving was, all mind over matter

"If you don't mind........it don't matter"

good luck

[IbleedBnG83]

First of all, congrats your decision. If you have any MOS specific questions, my best bud and next door neighbor is a 68W and currently stationed at Ft. Detrick. So PM for any questions you have relating to that. He has moved up in rank faster than anyone I have ever heard/known.

Basic is "too easy". A phrase you will have to get use to saying when you go, lol. I was in the worst shape of my life going in. Yeah, I felt like I was going to die, but I made it out in phenominal shape. Getting in shape will only help. You can get a PT badge if you get a perfect score, so thats something to be work for and be proud of. So keep running, and doing pushups and sit-ups. I think the Army is focusing more on interval training so incorporate that into your running routine.

As far as the daily grind, as long as your mentaly strong, you'll be fine. Remember, its only "9 weeks". Which brings me to my next point. RECEPTION!!! The dreaded reception. Its about 10-14 days BEFORE you actually go to Basic where you get issues clothing and learn how to march, take orders, formations, get your handbook, learn rank, etc. You also have to take a little BS PT test to make sure you are fit enough for Basic. You will pass that with no problem. I think its only like 10 pushups plus some BS run and sit-ups.

OK, Ft. Leonardwood or as everyone calls it...Fort Lost-in-the-woods. SUCKS, SUCKS, SUCKS!!! Its going to be cold!!! You will run in warm weather PTs in the cold. You will have to shovel snow. There is nothing to do out there, so the drill SGTs will take it out on you. Oh well, thats basic. I did my AIT in Ft. Leonardwood and hit was sometimes more demanding than Basic. YOUR AIT will be a cake walk as all med MOS's are. They treat you like permanant party, so don't sweat that.

Stay alert. Listen. Do what you're told. If you volunteer, be ready to take the praise with the **** getting dumped on you. Everything is what you make it.

Seriously, just PM me.

[Toadslayer]

No Sleep! You will get no sleep. I guess the worst is all the idiots that cause the platoon to have to redo everything 80 times cause someone just don't get it. Drill and ceremony marching blows goats. Drill SGt competition with each other will make life hell also. Don't take it personally when they yell in your face. It's a game, they love to make people cry and want to quit. I went to Ft. Sill, OK and it was a men only basic so can't tell you if all the chicks will make it tougher. But they probably will be distracting. And you are lucky you probably won't get any Drill Cadets from West Point on summer training. They are brutal pricks dude!

[ajlaird82]

Forget basic training just wait until you actually get called up to go somewhere. I spent 8 years with 2nd Ranger Battalion and loved every minute of it. If i were you i would try to go airborne and then volunteer for RIP. If your going to have to go to the desert your gonna wanna go with the best right.